anyone ever buy a side of beef?

chino77 · 04-29-08, 05:09 AM

i always hear its cheaper to buy a side or 1/2 or 1/4. im looking online and i dont see any places that have cheap prices. i guess if you eat alot of t-bones and fillets. than maybe its a good deal. has anyone here ever done it? know of a good place that ships to chicago? or is close to chicago?

mostly l eat ground beef, rib eyes and roasts so if their are good places online to buy that in bulk for cheap it would be cool too.

jonw9 · 04-29-08, 06:05 AM

We have before, as a family when I was younger. Our family and our Uncles would split a whole cow. It was more of a direct thing, either from the farmer or butcher, probably the latter.

Ordering online and having it shipped may defeat the purpose of the bargain.

FiveO · 04-29-08, 06:48 AM

Just bought a 1/4 2 weeks ago. I have a chest freezer in the garage that stores it.

It usually lasts me about 6-8 months and I buy it from a co-worker who farms part time. I know the quality of the beef which is key and why I do it this way. It costs me like $400 for 75 pounds of ground beef and a bunch of steaks, stew meat and roasts....but its worth it if you ask me.

And I apologize...don't know any areas around Chicago to purchase a whole or part.

monkey42 · 04-29-08, 06:57 AM

I'm buying a 1/4 cow in a few weeks here. My co-worker just emailed me a pic of the one I'll be getting.

Krayzie · 04-30-08, 10:01 AM

about the size of an alternator?

tasha99 · 04-30-08, 10:11 AM

I bought 1/4 when I lived in Hawaii years ago because food was so expensive there. It was a pretty good deal--I got the beef and a whole bunch of free add ons, so our freezer was packed with all kinds of meat that lasted for many, many months. We had to go to the butcher shop though and they loaded our car up. Shipping a bunch of frozen beef just seems like it would be a waste of money.

kvrdave · 04-30-08, 10:33 AM

We buy 1/2 every year. I love steak. Just had some with some morel mushrooms my boys found on our property.

What price are you seeing? I generally pay around $1.75-$2 a pound cut and wrapped, but that includes T-bones, etc.

Tracer Bullet · 04-30-08, 10:34 AM

Doesn't anyone else find it hilarious that it's difficult to buy a side of beef in Chicago?

chino77 · 04-30-08, 11:11 AM

i never said it was difficult. i was just looking online and all i saw were prices of around 4 bucks a pound.

Sean O'Hara · 04-30-08, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracer Bullet

Doesn't anyone else find it hilarious that it's difficult to buy a side of beef in Chicago?

One does not ask too many questions at Chicago slaughter houses if one knows what's good for him. Capice?

mndtrp · 05-01-08, 08:28 PM

I used to buy 1/4 cow each year, with this year being the first time I've bought 1/2. The best part of it is knowing where the beef came from, and how it was raised. The next best part, is getting the cuts exactly how you want them.

I can't recall how much the 1/2 cost, but I think it was around $800, maybe a bit more. Finding a local butcher is relatively easy, especially if you ask around. Try a couple of their steaks before purchasing an entire 1/2.

domino harvey · 05-01-08, 09:08 PM

Sometimes I don't finish my burger at the restaurant and I put it in a little Styrofoam box and that goes in my fridge.

04-29-08, 05:09 AM	#1
chino77 DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: chicago Posts: 3,023	anyone ever buy a side of beef? i always hear its cheaper to buy a side or 1/2 or 1/4. im looking online and i dont see any places that have cheap prices. i guess if you eat alot of t-bones and fillets. than maybe its a good deal. has anyone here ever done it? know of a good place that ships to chicago? or is close to chicago? mostly l eat ground beef, rib eyes and roasts so if their are good places online to buy that in bulk for cheap it would be cool too.

04-29-08, 06:05 AM	#2
jonw9 DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: On the banks of the Red Cedar Posts: 9,863	We have before, as a family when I was younger. Our family and our Uncles would split a whole cow. It was more of a direct thing, either from the farmer or butcher, probably the latter. Ordering online and having it shipped may defeat the purpose of the bargain. __________________ "Damn straight! Today the mad scientist can't get a doomsday device, tomorrow it's the mad grad student! Where will it end?!" - Professor Hubert Farnsworth

04-29-08, 06:48 AM	#3
FiveO DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,880	Just bought a 1/4 2 weeks ago. I have a chest freezer in the garage that stores it. It usually lasts me about 6-8 months and I buy it from a co-worker who farms part time. I know the quality of the beef which is key and why I do it this way. It costs me like $400 for 75 pounds of ground beef and a bunch of steaks, stew meat and roasts....but its worth it if you ask me. And I apologize...don't know any areas around Chicago to purchase a whole or part. __________________ - "Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us..."

04-30-08, 10:33 AM	#7
kvrdave DVD Talk God Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 79,313	We buy 1/2 every year. I love steak. Just had some with some morel mushrooms my boys found on our property. What price are you seeing? I generally pay around $1.75-$2 a pound cut and wrapped, but that includes T-bones, etc. __________________ Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. - C.S. Lewis

04-30-08, 10:34 AM	#8
Tracer Bullet DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: IND Crosstown Posts: 23,404	Doesn't anyone else find it hilarious that it's difficult to buy a side of beef in Chicago? __________________ Third World countries are worthy of our derision. -Sean O'Hara Personally, I would say that Tracer Bullet is leading you in the wrong direction. -Supermallet Sometimes you have to decide between the guy who won't give you a cupcake and the one who will stab you in the face. -DeputyDave

04-29-08, 06:57 AM	#4
monkey42 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 430	I'm buying a 1/4 cow in a few weeks here. My co-worker just emailed me a pic of the one I'll be getting.

04-30-08, 10:01 AM	#5
Krayzie DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 1,802	about the size of an alternator?

04-30-08, 10:11 AM	#6
tasha99 DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: the North Posts: 4,733	I bought 1/4 when I lived in Hawaii years ago because food was so expensive there. It was a pretty good deal--I got the beef and a whole bunch of free add ons, so our freezer was packed with all kinds of meat that lasted for many, many months. We had to go to the butcher shop though and they loaded our car up. Shipping a bunch of frozen beef just seems like it would be a waste of money.

04-30-08, 11:11 AM	#9
chino77 DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: chicago Posts: 3,023	i never said it was difficult. i was just looking online and all i saw were prices of around 4 bucks a pound.

05-01-08, 08:28 PM	#11
mndtrp DVD Talk Legend Join Date: May 2004 Location: a mile high, give or take a few feet Posts: 10,833	I used to buy 1/4 cow each year, with this year being the first time I've bought 1/2. The best part of it is knowing where the beef came from, and how it was raised. The next best part, is getting the cuts exactly how you want them. I can't recall how much the 1/2 cost, but I think it was around $800, maybe a bit more. Finding a local butcher is relatively easy, especially if you ask around. Try a couple of their steaks before purchasing an entire 1/2.

05-01-08, 09:08 PM	#12
domino harvey Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 810	Sometimes I don't finish my burger at the restaurant and I put it in a little Styrofoam box and that goes in my fridge.